Telegraph-transmitter.



v PATENTED JUNE 21, 1904. J. T. X. TROTIER. TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Jasetkf'm Jaufiazz'e; inventor Witnesses:

Attorneys EH5 m, PNOTO-LITNQ, WlSHmGTOIL n, c.

Patented June 21, 1904.

[UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

JOSEPH FRANCOIS XAVIER TROTIER, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

TELEGRAPH-TRANSMITTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 763,082, dated June 21, 1904.

Application filed m 29, 1903.

T0 alt lU/L07lb 211; may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH FRANCOIS XAVIER TROTIER, residing in the city and district of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph- Transmitters; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to telegraphy. When telegraph operators are constantly employed in sending messages with a transmitting instrument, such as the well-known Morse key, if their work is of an arduous nature, giving little relaxation, they suffer froma mild form of paralysis, which afiects the nerves of the lingers and forearm.

The appearance of the maladyis very gradual and usually announces itself by a decline in the competence or ability of the operator. Among the operators one who is affected with the disability is referred to generally as losing his grip. Experienced operators who are kept very busy in sending messages are most apt to sufier, and one who is affected finds atfirst that he is unable to send a certain letter or figure. Presently he will find himself unable to transmit another figure,'and this state of affairs continues until the operator becomes incompetent, so that he must usually retire from active service. a

The object of this invention is to produce a transmitting instrument which will substantially relieve the strain upon the operator without in any way diminishing the efliciency of the transmitter. The invention is most economically practiced by fitting the transmitter or key with an attachment in a manner which will bedescribed more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter, and definitely set forth in the claims.

In the drawings which fully illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a plan of a transmitter or key embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is Serial No. 167,889. (No model.)

substantially a longitudinal central section of the transmitter. Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

Throughout the drawings and specification mitter, which is of the usual oval or elliptical form, provided at opposite sides with. upwardly-pro ecting standards or bearing-posts 2, between which posts there is mounted a key 3, the same having gudgeons 4 at the sides thereof, which have the usual conical bearing-points received in the extremities of bearing-screws 5. As usual, this base-ring 1 is expected to be attached to the upper side of a table, and to this end anchor-bolts 6 and? are provided, carrying wing-nuts 8, as shown. These anchor-bolts also constitute terminals for the transmitter, the circuit-wires being, respectively, attached thereto in the wellknown manner. As indicated, the anchorbolt 7 is insulated from the base-ring by means of a suitable bushing 9, of fiber or similar material, and the upper extremity of this bolt terminates in a head 10, which is surmounted by a point 11, usually of platinum, which platinum point cooperates with a second point 12, carried by the under side of the key 3, as shown; 7

A spring 13, which thrusts against the under side of a set-screw 14:, normally maintains the points 11 and 12 out of contact in the usual manner, and, as is customary with instruments of this kind, when the platinum points are in contact the circuit is closed through the base-ring posts 2 and a portion of the key. The usual switch or switch member 15 is employed in connection with the instrument, which may close the circuit through the contact-plate 16, carried by the aforesaid anchor-bolt 7 The play or movement of the instrument at the points 11 and 12 is regulated, as usual, by means of a stop-screw 17, carried at the forward extremity of the key 3.

In embodying my invention with an instrument such as that described beneath the tip of the stop-screw 17 I attach a cushion or bufl'er'18, which is preferably of vulcanized rubber or similar material adapted to absorb a shock, and this cushion preferably occupies a dovetailed recess 19, formed in the upper 'face of the base-ring to receive it. I prefer to attach also to the extremity of the stopscrew 17 a tip 20, which is also preferably composed of vulcanized rubber or similar material. At the point where this tip 20 may rest upon the cushion 18 the latter is provided with a boss 21, preferably of the same diameter as the screw and the tip 20. As indicated, the attachment of the tip 20 is facilitated by providing a short projection or nipple 22 at the extremity of the stop-screw. From the arrangement described it should appear that when the key is in use the shock at the stop-screw 17 incident to the return movement of the key is absorbed by the cushion and tip. In this way the number of shocks given to the hand of the operator in using the key is reduced to onehalf the usual number, and the relief experienced by the operators is so great as to enable messages to be sent at substantially twice the usual sending rate. IVhile I prefer to use vulcanized rubber in connection with the tip and cushion, it should be understood'that there are many other materials which could be used for the same purpose, it being essential, however, to eliminate the striking of metal upon metal to obtain the advantages of this instrument.

It is believed that the improvement described operates not only beneficially in the respect mentioned, but is also advantageous in reducing the amount of wear upon the p1atinum points ll and 12, though, of course, there would be the same number of contacts made between the points. It seems that the key of the improved forin described requires less effort in using the same, and in this way the energy with which the points are brought into contact becomes less.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood thatl do not limit myself to the precise form shown, for many of the details may be changed in form or position without afiecting the operativcness or utility of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make all such modifications as are included within the scope of the following claims or of mechanical equivalents to the structures set forth.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In an instrument of the class described, in combination, a base-ring having a dovetailed recess in the upper face thereof, a cushion of non-metallic material received by said recess, a key supported upon said base-ring, and a stop-screw adapted to limit the movement of said key, the extremity of said stopscrew providedwith a non-metallic tip lying adjacent to said cushion.

2. In an instrument of the class described,

in combination, a base-ring, a key disposed thereabove, a stop-screw carried by said key and adapted to limit the movement of said key, said stop-screw having a projection, and a tip of non-metallic material in which said "projection is engaged.

3. In an instrument of the class described, in combination, a base, akey supported thereabove, a stop-screw carried by said key and having a tip of vulcanized rubber, said base having a projection, and a dovetailed recess lying substantially beneath said tip, and a cushion of vulcanized rubber having a recess in which said projection is engaged lying in said recess.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH FRANCOIS XAVIER 'TRO'lIER.

Witnesses:

F. D. AMMEN, M. MCALEER. 

